In Texas it has already been getting hot, and you know Summer is around the corner. The other night we had our first real warm-weather cookout which always carries a different kind of energy, like the backyard is waking up after a long quiet stretch.
Our Coleman Tailgating Grill got dragged out of its spot, usually with a little more dust on it than anyone remembers, and there’s that familiar moment of standing there wondering what worked last year and what absolutely did not.
I opened the lid, and David went hunting for propane and suddenly the whole evening starts turning into more than just dinner—it becomes the unofficial kickoff to summer. You should have been here to join us it was fun.
Memorial Day is right around the corner which has a way of turning simple food into something that feels like a gathering point. The smell of smoke drifting through the yard mixes with the sound of kids running around and chairs scraping across the patio.
Even the planning feels nostalgic, like flipping through old habits and deciding which ones deserve another season. Burgers and hot dogs are still the backbone of it all, but mine and Suzzie’s favorite food on the grill is Pork Chops. What about you?
The real shift happens in how the table comes together: a mix of quick sides like Baked Potatoes and Deviled Eggs ie Scared Eggs, cold drinks pulled from the fridge, and whatever was forgotten from last year suddenly remembered at the last minute.
For my family there is something satisfying about setting up a grill station that actually feels intentional instead of improvised. A reliable setup like a charcoal or gas grill from brands like Coleman, Weber Spirit II Gas Grill or a classic kettle-style grill becomes the center of everything, almost like a stage.
Nearby, a basket of spices, rubs, and sauces gets shuffled around as people debate what flavor direction the day should go in. Gerald leans sweet and smoky, David goes heavy on heat, and I prefer Lawyr’s Steak Seasoning and somehow it all ends up working out once the food starts coming off the heat.
What turns this from a regular meal into a full event is the layering of small details. A cooler filled with drinks sits half in the shade, paper goods are stacked in a way that suggests optimism more than organization, and there’s always that one new thing someone decided to try—maybe grilled corn with seasoning, maybe foil packet potatoes, maybe a dessert that shouldn’t logically belong on a grill but somehow does anyway. By the time everything is ready, the backyard feels less like a space and more like a shared moment that’s been built piece by piece.
Memorial Day grilling works best when it doesn’t try too hard to be perfect. It’s the slight char on the burgers, the uneven seating, the last-minute run to grab ice that ends up taking 3 hours when you send David, and the laughter that comes from realizing the buns are already disappearing faster than expected. It’s not just dinner—it’s the start of a season that always feels like it arrives faster than expected.
Thank yu,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
